Official Luthiers Forum!

Excluding yourself I am curious who you think the BEST luthier is. Living or dead. And yes, you can only pick one. (Specify classical or SS)

Richard

Ervin Somogyi-SS
Antonio de Torres Classical

There are too many Best, buy my favorite is Jim Olson

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Wow, I don't know if there is actually "THE BEST" as alot of it is artistic. Anyway, my vote goes to H. Klepper.

_________________
"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

If I had answer it would be Friedrich, but I can't answer.

_________________
Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

well i don't really think there is a best luthier but just the ones i like every now and then in a ever rotating order...

Ervin Somogyi
Francisco Simplicio
Larson Bros.
Herman Hauser
Jose Romanillios
Peter Marreiros
Kathy Wingert
Judy Threet

Mario!

_________________
"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

It's a tie between C.F. Martin and Orville Gibson.

its technically two, but the Larson bros. made some awesome stuff ...

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

There IS a best luthier if you're grading by craftsmanship, sound production (i.e. knows exactly how to get an instrument to sound the way he wants), and knowledge base (KNOWS about guitars). I doubt even HE knows that he's the best luthier. I really don't like these kinds of questions. I'd rather it be subjective as to who your FAVORITE luthier is. I really don't know about guitar luthiers because there are so many cool ones out there that do some neat stuff and their aesthetic is spot on to my taste. All round it's gotta be my good friend and mentor, Brian Dean. He makes mandolins though.....

Who is this? I'm making a list of guys work to check out.

I put an exclamation mark on my answer to sort of put a tinge of jest onto it, as a kind of acknowledgement of how, yes, it's a completely subjective and somewhat silly enterprise, this "choosing best" business. It was also an acknowledgement of Mario's storied involvement here, of course. But I love Mario, I do think he's great. He's innovative in great ways, I admire his work a lot, and I steal from his methods constantly. I like the "Martin thing" and I think Mario has done some cool things to push that thing farther.

http://proulxguitars.com/

_________________
"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

Stradivarius. The term luthier isn't just limited to guitars, so I assume this thread isn't either.

_________________
I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I think its
" klepperrusslerpadmeleburtmorellistocknewtonkennedywheelercarolcunninghametcsky"

anyone else know that guy?

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/

There is no best.
My favorites are the Larson bros. for many reasons; innovation, detail, tone, craftsmanship.

Thomas Humphrey -- Classical maker who died at a much too early age. His millenium design was scoffed by the classical purists, and then later embraced as one of the best innovations in classical guitar. Now there are many incorporating his design.

Charles Kaman was one of the greats too !!!

_________________
"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Jimmy D'aquisto, Bob Benedetto, Bill Moll, the list goes on. There are a lot of bests.

That question on this forum has just lowered my expectations of coming here.

There's really no way to put one person at the apex, but the question is fun to ponder. I've been playing guitar since 1963, but trying to make guitars for only the last few years. I have different responses as a player and listener than as a would-be luthier.

The best violin I ever heard was made by Stradivarius. He also made guitars, but I've never heard one. The finest viola (my life partner is a violist, so this looms large) was made by Amati. Or maybe it was the one by Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, ("del Gesù").

If "the pre-WWII Martin team" is "a luthier" they are up there.

The finest individually hand-made guitars I have ever played were made by D'Angelico, Bruce Sexauer, and Rodney Kent Albin.

The finest luthier in terms of construction techniques I've stolen is Mario Proulx. But the finest in terms of explaining guitar sound is Alan Carruth. And the best in overall perspective about lutherie is, for me, Todd Stock.

_________________
Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

Awe, threw me in there with the Padma? I'm touched!

Stradivarius made guitars too. http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/PluckedStrings/ ... uitar.html

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

the happiest luthier

Mario M.

So is Padme !!!

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/